Automobile jack



June 8, 1948. H. sosKlN 2,442,881

AUTOMOBILE JACK Filed oct. e, 194s 4 sheets-sheet 1 Fiyi.

$7522 orfl@ June, 1948. H SQSKIN v v2,442,8S

AUTOMOBILE JACK June 8, 19.48. H. sosKlN AUTOMOBILE JACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 6, 1943 June 8, 1948.

H. sQsKlN AUTOMOBILE JACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 6, 1943 l fnl/@H3011- Irr 5051K@ Patented June 8, 1948 MT1-:Dy STAT-Es My` invention relates to new and useful' automobile jacks, .and has for one of'its objectsV to provide jacks `that are .maintainedin horizontal positions close up .beneath .thebody ofthe automobile when notin use. so as to be out of the Way of any. articles, deep snow, andthe like, on the roads over. which the. automobile.' travels..

Another object of the inventionis toprovide for mounting the jacks onan automobile or other automotive vehicle in a novelmanner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an unique means for 1atching. .the .liftingV` means or elements ofthe jacks in the horizontalposition whennot in use.

A further object of the present invention is to. provide. rpressure. operating. means forV releasing. the jacks, permitting themto. descendlby, gravity or positively movin-g. them intov vertical positions, distending the liftingmeans. thereof for. elevating .the vehicle, telesoopingsaid lifting means andlinally, .positivelyswingngthem back into theV horizontal lposition Where they Willbe latched.-

With the above and other objects invi-ew this invention Iconsists of the detailsV ofconstruction and .combination of elements hereinafter. set forth andth'en designated by the claims.`

In order that those skilled I'in the. arttowhich this. invention appertains may understand. how to make and use the samer-Will 'describe its con',- struction in detail referring by. numerals. to the accompanying vdrawing forming a .part 'heren-i. in which:

Fig. 1is a plan view of a motor. vehicle chassis illustrating one manner in which thejaoks may be mounted and depicting anumber ofiwaysthat they may bev actuated.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedlongitudnal sectional View ofV onev construction of l a. jack in.` a horizontal closed or inoperative4 position;`

Fig. 3y isa similar viewWhenvfthe'liftingmeans has. beent moved: into the .vertical position..

Fig; 4-. is a further enlarged section .om the-:line f-ltof Fig; 2.

Fig. 5 also is a sectional viewzsimilai: totFig-a' 3 showing.- the liftingV mechanism.: distendedf and illustratingindottecl lines an. approximate rela; tionof va Wheel when elevated to 'th'ejack Fig.' Glisa side' elevation of a jack tof-illustrate one Wayforxing the jack tol a supp'orting'ele'- ment; such as the housing of airearaXle..

Fig; 7 Ais anA enlargedsectionalview'nn theV line l'-T'of Fig; 6.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal .sectional View.' of another form oftli'e.jackA shown inthe liori'zontalfclosed orinoperative'position:

Fie. 9A is' a" similarview-'after the liftingA mech; anis'm'hasfdescenddto tl'everti cal position';

Ffg'.' '1;1'v is a' viewflkeFig. 9l withthe lifting mechanism distendediastak'en'on the'liiie` H--I 1 offFig. '13; arrdillustrating in dottedf lines the `apprcnn'Imate position:relative-` of a Wheel"and"the jack'whentl're vehicle is elevated.

Fig; lTisfa sideelevation of the jack'in the horizontal-cioseipnsition;

Fie: 13i'is 'anv emargecbfragmentary sectional viewon the 1ineI'3"'-l 3 ofiF': 9?

lin" carrying oui'my` invention as' herein. enr bodied, referencebeingfii'stnad"to Figs: 1" to 7 inclusive; l5 represents'a'vehicl'ciiassisincld ingfthe'- ordinaryframe supported bythe front axle liandfth'e rear axle" I 'T'Whic'h includesthe usual housing; naxlesaremounted th'ewheels On any suitable parts'of'thevehiclejaremountcan -be 4manuallyor'mechanicallynperatedibut "isk here shown as actuatediloyfthepower of. the :motor vehicle; for'exampleg the fanbelt shaft'ZS" by gears-24F- A"tank"22a^can.beesubstituted.for or used anauinliarytofthe' pump Such .af tank canbe--ml-difrom a.'`compressor'atafserviceY sta'- tion.- Itis-alsopcssibleto supply the airfrom'the service station equipment directly to the`con duit2l:

AlliV jacksl lHF are alike an'cL`V- each comprises a housing-body!tsplittfhorizontallm; orv otherwise, alongitlr'e-'line- 2B so'as'to'berea'dlvnttedfbver the supporting niembiereitlrenarfaxle; an axlehous ing', trunniorrorsimiiar--devices .and thev parts of'saidth'ousing body ZS'Jare fastened 'togettierby boltslv- 27' or' 'equivalent fastening. means. Fitted to the" siides'iofithe housing, body. 25; are.. closure side cheeks '28 `which .aresplitf along.thelin'e` 229 tomermitthe. sections to be tted around thesunporting member. Said" cheek sections areffsp tenedr together by fastening means; suohxas bolts and nandstlech'eeks=aife.secuiz'edto. the housing bod'so'b'y. other.fastenizigmleans- 3] The housing carries a cylinder 32 having an opening in the bottom thereof which communicates with the interior of said housing. In this cylinder is slidably mounted a combination rack and piston, the numeral 33 denoting the rack portion and the numerals 34 and 35 representing the pistons, one at each end of the rack, so that said rack-piston may be actuated alternately from both ends. The rack teeth mesh with the teeth of a segmental gear 36 projecting through the opening in the bottom of the cylinder 32. The gear is split on a diameter so that it may be fitted over the supporting member and the two sections .are secured together by fastening devices 3l.

The gear 36 is merely rotatable about the supporting member and has the ends of its hub journalled in the housing, the latter being fixed in place on said supporting member by set screws 38, Fig. 6. The openings at the sides of the gear housing through which the axle or other supporting member protrudes are made dust and grease proof by placing a compressible packing 39, such as a felt washer, in each and inserting a split metal washer 40 behind the packing, both of which will be forced inward and held in place by the set screws 38. Any other equivalent means may be used to pack said openings.

The segmental gear 36 carries a lifting means or mechanism 4| comprised of a number of telescoping tubular members 42 that are normally closed up by the action of the spring 43 and distended through the use of uid, either air or liquid or both, under pressure and supplied in a manner to be presently described. The outermost one of the tubular members 42 carries a foot fifi which is preferably swingingly attached to said outermost member, either pivoted or swiveled, so as to adjust itself to any surface on which it may rest. Of course the foot may be flat and stationary as will be apparent from the description in connection with the other form of the invention to be later described.

In the forward end of the cylinder 32 and spaced from the rack piston 35 is a latch operating piston 45 that is normally forced inward by a spring 46 engaging said piston 45 as the movable element and a wall 41 in the cylinder as the stationary element. Said latch operating piston 45 carries a forwardly projecting latch casing 48 in which a latch 49 is slidably mounted and normally forced outward by a spring 50 and the nose of said latch can protrude through a hole in the wall 4l' to a limited extent.

rihe above mentioned latch 49 is to be engaged by the hook or keeper carried by the outermost one of the members 42 when all of the members of the lifting means are closed up and said lifting means is in the horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2.

Fluid is forced through the conduit 2|, Fig. 1, by the pump 22 and directed by suitable means, such as valves, into the tube of each jack and thence into the chamber 53 between the pistons 35 and 45. This will force the rack 33 rearwardly and the piston 45 and its components forwardly. The movement of the rack rearwardly will raise the lifting means to the horizontal position, if it is in any other location, and the movement of the piston 45 forwardly will move the latch into the path of travel of the hook for engaging the latter to hold the lifting means in the horizontal position.

When it becomes necessary jor desirable to lift the vehicle, the fluid in the chamber 53 is released and fluid is directed through the tube 54 into the chamber 55 behind the rack and its piston 34. The releasing of the fluid from chamber 53 permits the spring 46 to force the piston 45 and the latch 49 inward so as to withdraw said latch from the hook or keeper 5|, then as uid enters or the pressure is built up in the chamber 55, the rack 33 will be moved forwardly and impart a rotary motion to the segmental gear 36 to swing the lifting means down into vertical position, Fig. 3.

A flexible tube 56 has one end communicating with the interior of the tubular lifting means 4|,

or at least the two innermost members 42 of said lifting means, and the other end of said tube 56 is connected with the chamber 55 at a point where the entrance will be covered by the rack 33 until the latter and its piston 34 pass the location of the connection or entrance. The location of the entrance is such that the rack and the piston 34 will pass beyond said entrance just as the lifting means reaches the vertical position thereby completing a line of communication from the chamber 32 through the tube 56 to the lifting means 4 I. At such a time fluid will pass through the chamber 32, and the tube 56 into the lifting means 4| and distend said lifting means as shown in Fig. 5. This will raise the vehicle and lift its wheels from the ground as illustrated by the position of a wheel in dotted line in Fig. 5.

To return the lifting means to the horizontal position, the pressure is relieved from the chamber 55 and said lifting means to permit the fluid to exhaust and thereafter the spring 43 will act to close up the members 42 of the lifting means. Then by directing fluid into the chamber 53 the latch mechanism will be moved forwardly and the rack rearwardly. As the rack is actuated, the lifting means will be swung upward and the hook or keeper 5| will push the latch back into its casing against the action of the spring 50 until the nose of the hook 5| has passed the nose of the latch 49, when the latter will be projected outwardly by said spring 50 to engage beneath the nose Aof said hook.

For purposes of illustration only, I have shown a shell embracing the cylinder 32 but open along the bottom and coacting with this shell is a bottom closure 58. This will keep out dust, mud, snow or other foreign matter from the operating parts of the jack. The outer end of said closure 58 is pivotally connected to the outermost member of the lifting means 4| while its inner end is pivoted at 59 to the gear housing. The bottom closure 58 is composed of a number of sections slidable longitudinally relative to one another to compensate for differences between the axes of rotation of the lifting means and said closure and for extension when the lifting means is distended.

Obviously the cylinder 32 and the innermost member 42 of the lifting means could be formed from two similar bars of material and chambered to provide a cylinder bore for the pistons and rack and the extensible members of the lifting means. This would eliminate the necessity for the shell and closure.

To further support the jacks and thereby prevent any possibility of them dropping down or rattling, hangers, one of which is shown at 60 in Fig. 1, are provided on suitable parts of the vehicle and the outer ends of the jack cylinders or shells are fastened to such hangers in any desirable manner. The hangers can be fashioned to fit around the drive shaft housing or connected by an upright.

'In that form of individual jack illustrated in ausg-eer' Fig-s: 8- to '13-inclusive;- 64 represents the gear housing comprisingl the` chamberedor recessed housingbody 62. and the side cheeks 63 held in place by the'fastening devices 5d, such as bolts and nuts. The cheeks 63v have internal sockets 65 forming bearings for the hub of the segmental gearv B52-mounted inthe gear housing.

The gear 66 carries the lifting means 6l comprised of a number of telescoping tubular members 58 that are normally closed up by the spring 59 anddistended through the Ause of fluid, either airorliquid or both,l under pressure supplied from a--suita-ble-source 4as previously specified in connection with the rst described formof the invention.; Theoutermost onel of the tubular memberse carries-afoot 'Iii which may be flat and'solid; asshown, or it mayv be-similar to the foot-- di?. In fact it is to be-understood that any of the parts of the two forms of the invention are interchangeable where possible.

The teeth of the segmental gear 66 project throughi anopening in the bottom of the cylinder H which is carried by the housing 6| and mesh with the rack teeth of the combined rack and piston 'l2 including the rack 13 and the end piston l. In this form of the invention the chamber at the rear of the rack is not air tight but the forward chamber l5 is, so that fluid entering said chamber l5 through the tube T6 will act upon the piston T4 to force it and the rack rearwardly.

In order to normally retain the lifting means 6l in a horizontal position parallel with and underneath of the cylinder 1l, a spring actuated latch 71 is carried by the cylinder H in a casing 'i8 with a spring 'I9 to normally force said latch outward. A hook or keeper 80 is carried by the outermost one of the members 68 of the lifting means or, more particularly, by the foot 10 for cooperation with the spring actuated latch 11 as may be readily comprehended by reference to Fig. 8.

For releasing the hook or keeper from the latch 'il and also for distending the lifting means 61, uid under pressure is directed through a tube 8i, Fig. 13, a hole 82 in the gear housing, particularly one of the cheeks, a bore 83 in the axis of the gear, and a radial bore 84, also in the gear between the inner end of the bore 83 and the perimeter of said gear, to the interior of said lifting means 6l.

A shell 85 may embrace the cylinder 'H and may be .a part of the gear housing or a separate element and attached at the rear end to Said housing. In any event this shell is open along the bottom and coacting therewith is a, bottom closure 86 carried by the lifting means so that when the latter is in a horizontal position it will be completely enclosed to prevent clogging by dust, mud, snow or other foreign substances.

The entire apparatus may be installed on a vehicle in a manner similar to that shown in connection with the first described form of the invention or it may be installed below, above, in front or to the rear of the supporting means il, representing an axle, an axle housing, a trunnion or other device. Any Suitable retaining means may be utilized for securing the apparatus to the support and for purposes of illustration I have shown U-shaped straps 8l embracing said support and .attached to the hOllSiXlg 6i by fastening devices 83. The housing 6| may have recesses or notches 89 in one or more appropriate locations to register with the support I1 and mightfbe used to assistfinmountingthe appa#- ratus,l on'l tliesuppoI-ti n Assu-mirigv tlfe parts* tobe in thepositionsi1- lustrated' l in Fig: 8 Land it becomes necessary or desirabletojack uptheV vehicle, then fluid' is directed-throughzthe-tubeB-I, hole 82'- and bores S3-"and 8d tol the interiorofthe lifting means. inla-suii'cient amountto vfirst distend said lifting-*meansY a` distance great enough to merely release-the hook orv keeper from-the latch ll. Thelifting= means 61 now will drop downby gravityto-thefvertical position as-shown in Fig. 9.

Thereafter additional fluid is directed into said lifting means and the latter will be distended to raisethe Vehicle.

Upon release-or exhaustion'of the fluid from thev lifting means, the weight of the-vehicle will partially closeup said lifting means until the vehicle-wheels touch the ground. The spring Svl then'will complete the closing up action until the foot 'l'lis free. Fluid maynow bek directed throughA the tube llinto the chamber 'I5'Y to force the rack .and piston rearwardly. This will swing the lifting means El upward to the horizontal position. As the hook or keeper 8U strikes the latch Ts' it will be forced inward against the action of its spring 19 until the nose of said hook 8B passes the nose of the latch 11 when the latter will be projected forwardly under the nose of the hook to retain the lifting means in its horizontal position until further use is necessary or desir-able.

The segmental gear in each form of the invention is so fashioned that the teeth terminate at the point where the periphery of said gear meets the rack when the lifting means is in the vertical position. This acts as a stop to limit the downward swing of the lifting means and as a further stop the gear housing may be formed so that the lifting means will contact a portion of said gear housing just as said lifting means reaches the vertical position,

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

l. An automobile jack comprising a split gear housing to be mounted on a supporting part of a vehicle, a split gear to surround the supporting part and journalled in the gear housing, an extensible lifting means comprised of a plurality of telescoping tubular members carried by said gear and to be extended by fluid under pressure, a cylinder carried by the gear housing and having a bottom opening through which a. portion of the gear projects, and a rack in said cylinder meshing with the gear and operated longitudinally to lower the lifting means and also raise it tc a horizontal position where it remains when not in `use.

2. The automobile jack of claim l, in combination with a latch operating piston in the cylinder adapted to be operated in one direction by a fluid under pressure, a spring actuated latch carried by said piston, and a hook carried by the lifting means to engage said latch for holding said lifting means in the horizontal position.

3. In a device of the character described, a vehicle, a plurality of housings mounted on the vehicle, extensible lifting means swingingly journalled in said housings, gears connected to said lifting means, cylinders mounted on said housings, racks in said cylinders to be uid operated in both directions and meshing with the gears to alternately swing the lifting means between the horizontal and Vertical positions, conduits between the cylinders and lifting means normally closed by the racks and uncovered as the lifting means reaches the vertical position to permit fluid to pass from the cylinders to the lifting means to extend the latter, latches in the cylinders and fluid operated to force them outward, springs to urge the latches inwardly, and hooks on the lifting means to engage the latches for holding the lifting means in the horizontal position.

4. In an automobile jack of the character described, a split gear housing having the sections thereof mounted in opposed relation on a supporting part of an automobile, means to clamp said sections together, a split gear having the sections thereof mounted in opposed relation on 20 said supporting part of the automobile and journalled in said gear housing, means to clamp the gear sections together, an extensible lifting tion to the split gear.

HARRY SOSKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,784,428 Goldman Dec. 9, 1931 1,836,962 Goldman Dec. 15, 1931 1,927,561 Deutsch Sept. 19, 1933 2,048,264 Harris July 21, 1936 2,199,870 Barr May "I, 1940 2,233,732 Campbell Mar. 4, 1941 2,237,167 Skavinsky Apr. 1, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 336,723 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1920 

